Amsterdam Getaway

This cozy, friendly little (32-room) canal-side hotel could be used as as a dictionary definition for that wonderful Dutch word, "gezellig", which defies literal translation.

As you would expect in an Amsterdam canal-side hotel, the rooms are not huge, but ours was still pretty spacious, given that we had three beds in it. One big bonus was the lift, which is by no means common in this kind of hotel. Breakfast was the usual Dutch affair of cold meats, cheeses, various breads, and tea or coffee, so it really did set you up for the day.

Kantijl en de Tiger offers some of the most authentic Indonesian food in Amsterdam, and the place is usually packed by about 7pm. There are three rijstaffels on offer, the cheapest being 45€ for two people. For this, you get 11 different dishes that include meat, rice, and vegetables (the more expensive ones offer more dishes and include fish), although, obviously, you can order single dishes from the menu should you wish. The staff is happy to take time to explain the menu and dishes so that you really do know what you're getting.

Attached to the Delta Hotel, the terrace offers some excellent food, particularly the steaks and chicken dishes. Usually busy but not packed, the staff is very helpful and friendly. The menu is varied, although I would avoid the garlic bread - very nice, but also very small(!); the soups are excellent, and my T-bone was cooked to perfection. The Terrace offers a reasonable, quality restaurant in an area dominated by fast-food joints, and as such, it deserves to be supported. I shall certainly return.

Located on a street full of restaurants, there is not much to make Chicano's stand out from the crowd; however, it is definitely worth taking a chance on it. As you would expect of an Argentine grill, meat is the speciality of the house, especially the ribs. The best deal has got to be the Louisiana ribs - two half-racks (one with chilli sauce, one with BBQ), fries, and salad for 15 euros. Service is pleasant, if unhurried, but this is not a place for vegetarians.

It had been several years since I visited the Van Gogh museum, and it was better than I remembered. As we had my 10-year-old daughter with us, we chose to go straight to the heart of the collection, the works of Van Gogh himself. These are presented in a chronological (as far as I could determine) chain around the gallery walls, allowing you to chart the changes in his style from the early dark paintings through to the light of Arles and beyond.

The museum offers audio guides in various languages, which are full of fascinating extras and well worth considering. I must confess I found the museum shop a trifle disappointing (and overpriced). One tip to avoid the queues - visit the museum website and buy your tickets online, print them off, and walk stright in through a dedicated entrance!

The Amstelkring is probably my favourite museum in Amsterdam; it's really two museums in one - the first is a merchant's 17th-century canal house with original decor and furniture, which I find fascinating. The jewel in the crown (literally), though, is the Catholic church "hidden" in the attic. Typical of the period, with their religion officially forbidden (but unofficially winked at), Amsterdam's Catholics constructed these hidden churches for the continuance of their worship. It truly is an amzing place and is always worth a visit - I always seem to find something I've missed before. The museum is connected to a children's charity, which uses a ladybird as its emblem, and there are ladybirds of various sizes in all the rooms in the house, so if you have little kids, they can spend their time playing "spot (or count) the ladybird" which gives them something to look for while you check out the historical bits.

This is the one that everyone knows and wants to visit. The trouble is, they all want to visit at the same time, or so it can seem. The museum is open until 7:30pm in the summer, so go along about 6-ish, as we did, and more or less walk straight in.

The original Opetka premises at 263 have been restored to their 1940 state since my last visit, which I found helped greatly in setting the scene. The actual annexe, or "Achterhuis", where Anne and the others lived is very amtospheric and highly charged with emotion. It is very hard to visit here without being affected in some way by what happened, not only here, but across Europe at that time. I believe everyone should visit this place at least once in their lifetime. Particularly poignant are Anne's original film star pictures still stuck on the wall.

Irish pubs seem to be taking over the world, but if they're all like these two, I don't care!

Firstly, The Tara, at Rokin 87-89, used to be a Brit pub (O'Henry's) where I worked, but the new owners bought the restaurant next door and expanded the place into the present premises. They offer a good selection of Irish beers and cider, as well as the usual Dutch options, with excellent food as well. It is an excellent lunchtime or early evening spot, and the layout means that it doesn't get too noisy, even when busy. They do have occasional live music, usually midweek - check out the posters at the door for information. At the other end of the scale is the tiny Blarney Stone at the bottom of Nieuwendijk. This place looks as though it's been transplanted from Co. Kerry or similar and is one of the friendliest bars in Amsterdam, and that's saying something! There's mainly Irish beer and cider on sale at very reasonable prices, with Dommelsch pils for the locals, and they do a wonderful toasted bacon sandwich in the mornings!

Originally built as a memorial to a Dutch soldier killed in the war (by his parents), this cross between a museum and a traditional model village shows all the major landmarks in the Netherlands 1:25 scale. There are well over 100 buildings, plus all the "countryside", to see, and the informative booklet fills in all the details you need on everything. There is a lot to see, including the airport, trains, boats, etc., which all move, plus the buildings themselves, which are fascinating. A lot of the models have buttons to push, which then makes something happen, like a bridge lift or cars move or the football crowd start singing. At the clog factory, a €1 coin will get you a souvenir of a tiny pair of clogs, while at the chocolate factory, 10 cents will get you a miniature bar of chocolate. There are several more of these around, nearly all 10-cent ones - have fun finding them for yourself!

This is a real corner of Old Amsterdam right in the middle of the hectic melange of Nieuwendijk. The bar is L-shaped, which actually makes it feel like two separate bars. The beers on offer are the usual Amstel and Guinness, but they also have Amstel Light and what is for me a special treat, Palm Speciale, from Belgium on tap! The only food offered are the old-fashioned bar snacks of bitterballen, uitsmijter (a kind of ham-and-egg sandwich), and nuts. This is a perfect place to sit and sip a beer during the day, watching all the people rush up and down the street, or come nighttime to have a quiet chat with new friends over a few beers. You don't have to party all the time in Amsterdam - if it all gets too much, head down here for a bit of peace and quiet.

A bit of a mix, really; having done the Grand Holland Tour a couple of years ago, I was hoping for some time in the centre of Delft, but all we got was a visit to one of the two remaining Delftware factories. That said, it was very interesting to see how the stuff is made, and to watch the artists painting the clay prior to firing. Of course, there is a shop where you can spend a fortune if you are so inclined, although we only bought a couple of pieces.

On to The Hague, the seat of the Dutch govenment, and a city tour taking in all the major sites like the various ministeries and embassies, the Peace Palace, The Binnenhof and Dutch Parliament buildings, the Royal Palace, and the prison where Mr Milosevic is being held, as well as the building the War Crimes Tribunal is using for the trial.

After this, it was onto Madurodam (entrance included in your ticket), which is billed as "Holland in Miniature". It was actually built by the parents of a Dutch soldier killed in the war (George Maduro) in memory of their son and has since become a Dutch institution. The buildings are all to 1/25 scale and are very detailed - some of them have "working" features, so the trains run, the bridges lift, the crowd at the football match is singing, and there is a lot to catch the eye and the imagination. Good for kids and adults alike.